1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to overshoes for cleaning floors.
2. Prior Art
A conventional mop is comprised of a mop head made of a resilient, absorbent material attached to a long handle. Liquid is soaked into the mop head, which is pushed about on a floor by grasping the handle. The mop head must be pressed firmly against the floor, but applying enough pressure with the arms and hands is difficult, especially for women. The user's back must be bent to help exert pressure. Therefore, cleaning the floor with a conventional mop requires a great deal of effort and time, which result in fatigue and soreness. Further, a large amount of liquid must be applied to the floor, which requires carrying a heavy bucket of the liquid, and a long time is required to allow the floor to dry.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,813 to Puskas shows an overshoe mop comprised of a resilient pad attached to the bottom of a soft boot worn over a shoe. The floor is moped by skating across the floor with the overshoe mop on one or both feet. The soft boot does not secure the pad well enough, so that the pad can easily slip out of position under the shoe during use. The single layer of absorbent material can only absorb a small amount of liquid. Further, the pad cannot reach into corners or tight areas, such as under slightly raised cabinets, book shelves, etc. U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,897 to Thompson, Jr. shows a foot pad for being attached to a shoe with a single strap or adhesive. The single strap cannot secure the pad well enough, and the adhesive can only be used once, so that the device is impractical.